By Bernd Biege
Ireland Travel Expert, about.com
The High Crosses of Ireland - they are everywhere it seems. Yet they
are also the source of much confusion. Or, as many a tourist and fan of
all things Irish might tell you: "You should have seen all those
crosses, you know, the Celtic ones ... the High Crosses ... in every
cemetery!"
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Ah, we already have spotted the usual confusion. Irish
memorial crosses, Celtic crosses and High Crosses are seen as synonymous
- which they are not. The genuine High Cross, as "typically Irish" as
the (often nearby) round tower in many eyes, can be quite clearly defined - which does not prevent hundreds of other crosses being labelled in this way.
The Celtic Cross - an Irish Original?
When
one mentions a Celtic cross, this automatically summons up the image of
a Latin (conventional) cross with the stem and arms linked by a
circular addition. This specific form of the main Christian symbol may
have had its origin in Ireland, though it is also known in Cornwall,
Wales, Northern England and parts of Scotland - all areas being in
contact with Ireland during the so-called "Dark Ages".
So maybe this cross, now regarded as something of a Pan-Celtic symbol, came with Irish missionaries?
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Whatever
the historical background of its geographical origin - the historical
development of the unusual style of this cross is even less clear.
Unless you subscribe to the (frankly) outlandish idea that some Irish
clerics deliberately chose a "trademark" and consciously designed the
Celtic cross.
How the ring became part of the cross is actually
totally unclear. And open to interpretation - some scholars went as far
as to suggest that the ring represents a halo, and thus Christ himself,
circumventing any scruples about picturing God's son on a crucifix.
These theories are close cousins to those that suggest that the circle
should really be interpreted as a disk, representing sol Invictus, the sun-god. And that it is closely related to the Egyptian ankh ...
Personally, I would stick with Occam's razor
and a very pedestrian theory, namely that the ring was introduced by
the masons. Not the Freemasons, mind you, so you can put that "Da Vinci Code"
back. Nope, the stonemasons, simply craftsmen wanting to add a bit of
stability to the overall construction. The ring acting as an additional
stabilizer for the crossbar. Which would mean that there is no symbolism
hidden here at all.
But the Celtic cross has certainly acquired a
new symbolism in recent years - white supremacists have appropriated
the cross as an alternative to the swastika!
Why were High Crosses Erected?
For
one reason only - to mark a sacred space and to declare adherence to
the Christian beliefs. Basically a sign saying "Here be Christians!",
but also "This is hallowed ground, keep its peace!"
Apart from
this the crosses were also a focal point of celebrations - out of
necessity one might say. The classic layout of the early monastic
settlements included a church, a cross and (if funds permitted) a round
tower - the latter's door oriented towards the first's entrance, with
the cross in the middle. And the church was usually too small for even a
modest congregation. Which meant that the huddled masses had to attend
mass al fresco. Gathered around the cross.
But not all
High Crosses were of an ecclesiastical nature - some seem to have been
connected to territorial rights, marking a market place for instance.
Others were erected to commemorate an important event or person.
The
only use High Crosses were apparently not put to seems to be ... as an
actual grave marker. But that idea might come to be just because of lack
of evidence.
The Early Evolution of High Crosses
No
historian can tell us where, when or even why the first High Crosses
were erected. Period. But it is assumed that the first stone crosses
were "copies" of wooden crosses covered with metal. Several (necessary)
features of these earlier crosses were actually incorporated into the
stone design.
Some crosses of this type are from the 8th and 9th
century, like the northern cross at Ahenny, covered in geometrical
designs. The most important feature was the basic form of the cross
itself. Not necessarily as the representation of an instrument of
execution but as an image of the early chi rho monogram.
Later crosses became more pictorial - the southern cross at Clonmacnoise and the cross of Saints Patrick and Columba in Kells. These became known as "transitionary crosses".
The Scripture Crosses - Sermons in Stone
This
transition led to the "scripture crosses", literally and liberally
covered with pictorial representations of scenes from the bible. Less
Celtic ornaments, more scenic details. These crosses should be regarded
as High Crosses proper.
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Today we can still see around thirty of
these monuments, all manufactured in the 9th and early 10th century. The
best-known maybe being the "Cross of the Scriptures" at Clonmacnoise.
The selection of themes represented was fairly conventional - with the
occasional flight of fancy mixed in. Life at a monastery was featured,
but the scriptures were the "main event". The artists (or their
paymasters) favoured scenes from the the Fall of Adam and Eve and Cain's
fratricide, the Last Supper and the Resurrection. Some pictures are
more generic, like hordes of warriors and even exotic animals (the camel
in Drumcliff being a good example). And there are even small jokes on some crosses ...
Crosses manufactured in the later 11th and then 12th
century show a decline - ornaments take over again, this time with a
distinctive Scandinavian influence, as this was the time of the Vikings in Ireland. The crucifixion in gory detail becomes the main pictorial content, the mood becomes darker. As if the end was nigh ...
Which
it actually was - with the Anglo-Norman invasion and the growing
influence of the European monastic orders like the Cistercians if Mellifont the High Crosses simply faded away, left standing but with no new ones being added.
How a High Cross was Manufactured
A
typical High Cross was built in three, sometimes four parts - the
bootom part being a massive, conical or pyramidal base. Into this the
shaft of the cross proper was slotted. Crowned by the cross-head (the
portion with the arms and ring) - with in most cases shaft and head
being manufactured in one piece. The whole ensemble is then topped by a
capstone, most of which are lost today.
The actual manufacturing process seems to have been undertaken in distinctive steps, the cross being raised in situ before
the finer carvings were complete. An unfinished cross at Kells
demonstrates this theory - the areas where fine detail would be added
are still blanks . This also makes a lot of sense ... imagine raising a
finished, finely carved cross being raised, then toppling over and
breaking due to sloppy groundwork.
One curious and little-known
aspect of the High Crosses deserves mention - the crosses were not only
freshly carved during their heyday, they also were painted in quite gaudy colours . Hard to imagine today, but surely an attention-grabber in medieval times. The Irish National Heritage Park near Wexford has recreated this ... and the coloured cross is often greeted with scepticism by visitors.
Today's High Crosses
The worst enemy of Irish High Crosses were neither Vikings raiders nor Puritan zealots - but simply the Irish weather.
Most crosses were made from sandstone. Easy to work with, and capable
of achieving incredible detail. But not the stuff to survive centuries
of rain and wind. And if a cross toppled due to boggy ground giving way
... the usual outcome was a richly carved jigsaw puzzle.
As these
dangers are still ever-present (and pollution takes a further toll),
some crosses have had to be removed and replicas erected. Acceptable for
all but the purist - but even the tourist should make sure whether he
actually photographed the original!
Worse are well-meant but often
scurrilous "renovations". Slapping on the thickest cement somehow
detracts from fine carvings. And the combination of parts from obviously
different crosses also fails to satisfy. Other attempts to protect
crosses are well-meant but somehow optimistic - a cross in Kells is
protected from rain by a small roof, but a sheer endless stream of
18-wheelers rumbles by a few steps away.
Is it a High Cross or ...?
Even
high-profile publications on Ireland manage to label normal, modern
cemetery memorials, carved on an industrial scale all over Ireland, as
"High Crosses". Every Irish churchyard or cemetery will have one of
these. A cross of fair height and the Celtic pattern - a high cross, but
no High Cross proper.
The illustrations are totally different and
the modern crosses are markers for individuals, not for holy places ...
or even educational tools.
Modern monuments to mark special
places and/or events are also often based on High Crosses, both in size
and the basic layout. Most have geometrical designs or knot-work, often
reflecting a mixture of Celtic and Scandinavian influences plus a good
helping of romantic "typical Irish" designs. Most of these monuments are
easily recognizable though some creep up as original High Crosses in
some publications - especially if they are placed in a solitary location
for maximum effect.
In short - anything younger than 800 years should not be regarded as a genuine High Cross.
